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Here are my top 5. Not sure how to rank the rest. I saw Cloquet won a couple games in Duluth during the holidays, any word on them improving to where they can compete better than a 7-1 loss to East? Also, should Forest Lake's big loss to Andover drop them to #5?

1. Duluth East
2. Elk River
3. Andover
4. Forest Lake
5. Grand Rapids

rapidsrapids wrote:Here are my top 5. Not sure how to rank the rest. I saw Cloquet won a couple games in Duluth during the holidays, any word on them improving to where they can compete better than a 7-1 loss to East? Also, should Forest Lake's big loss to Andover drop them to #5?

1. Duluth East
2. Elk River
3. Andover
4. Forest Lake
5. Grand Rapids

I think Forest Lake's loss to the new school, East Ridge, should knock them down... especially considering it was their host Forest Lake Invite for 3rd place!!

Oh, I forgot about that game. Yeah, that would drop FL to 5 for sure at this point. Rapids may even have a case for #3 if they keep improving the rest of the year. Rapids doesn't have any losses that stand out, they were very competitive in the Edina Classic. They also have a nice win at Warroad. Would be very interesting if GR can beat East at home in a couple weeks!

Rapids has a nice team this year but no doubt East is the team to beat. Elk River already beat Rapids this year and alot of their success depends on Jeremko and Franke. I think on January 19th Elk River and East will be playing each other for the top seed in the section. I think this is how the top 5 will look come playoff time

1. East
2. Elk River
3. Rapids
4. Andover
5. Forest Lake

Good to see this thread underway.

East plays Rapids, ER, Flake, and Andover in succession later this month, so that should go a long ways in determining who belongs where. The GR/Flake arugment for the 4th spot might get interesting, and if GR goes on a run, it'll be hard to determine whether they or Andover should get the 3rd spot.

While that may be how it ends up, the seedings will probably be based purely on head to head match ups, which haven't happened yet.

Cloquet lost to East, hasn't played Andover or Rapids, plays East again and doesn't play Elk River.

Right now I would put it:
1. Elk River
2. Duluth East
3. Andover
4. Rapids

Very hard to say at this point.

Rapids 2 biggest losses to date are 2-3 to Elk River and 4-5 to Forest Lake. They MUST win out the 2 remaining 7AA games with East and Cloquet and have a very healthy record down the stretch to have any clout for a 3 spot. Andover sounds like a real nice team and we will soon see what they have when they begin conference play as schedule has been a bit light. 7-1 statement game over Forest Lake puts them in the drivers seat for 3rd possibly even 2nd ahead of Elk River. East generally gets on a real run right after Christmas, next 2 weeks are tough for the Hounds but will certainly prove their medal. Blaine, Minnetonka, Grand Rapids, Elk River, Denfeld, Forest Lake and Andover...whew!! Know this boys, 7AA is as wide open as we have seen it. Whoever gels at the end will take the title. It should make for some very exciting games come playoffs. I would say this year we all can safely throw out predictions for a front runner. Thus far the season's for each club seem to warrant that prognostication.

Just a note on the semi-finals. The Gophers are at UMD that same weekend, also at the DECC (adjacent building) on that Saturday is the Lake Superior Family Fun Fest. Should be very busy that weekend and with all those events going on there should be a healthy crowd at the DECC for the semi-finals.